anufrieva_nastya In 1964 the winds of change are sweeping through Sister Aloysius' (Meryl Streep) St. Nicholas school. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a charismatic priest, is advocating reform of the school's strict customs, and the first black student has just been accepted. When a fellow nun (Amy Adams) tells Sister Aloysius that Father Flynn may be paying too much personal attention to the student, Sister Aloysius begins a personal crusade against the priest -- despite her lack of evidence. A Catholic grade school could seem like a hermetically sealed world in 1964. That's the case with St. Nicholas in the Bronx, ruled by the pathologically severe principal Sister Aloysius, who keeps the students and nuns under her thumb and is engaged in an undeclared war with the new parish priest. Their issues may seem to center around the reforms of Vatican II, then still under way, with Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as the progressive, but for the nun I believe it's more of a power struggle. The pope's infallibility seems, in her case, to have descended to the parish level. Some will say the character of Sister Aloysius, played without a hint of humor . Sister Aloysius of "Doubt" hates all inroads of the modern world, including ballpoint pens. This is accurate. We practiced our penmanship with fountain pens, carefully heading every page "JMJ" -- for Jesus, Mary and Joseph, of course. Under Aloysius' command is the sweet young Sister James, whose experience in the world seems limited to what she sees out the convent window. Gradually during the autumn semester, the situation develops. There is one African-American student at St. Nicholas, Donald Miller, and Father Flynn encourages him in sports and appoints him as an altar boy. This is all proper. Then Sister James notes that the priest summons the boy to the rectory alone. She decides this is improper behavior, and informs Aloysius, whose eyes narrow like a beast of prey. Father Flynn's fate is sealed. But "Doubt" is not intended as a docudrama about possible sexual abuse. It is about the title word, doubt, in a world of certainty. For Aloysius, Flynn is certainly guilty. That the priest seems innocent, that Sister James comes to believe she was mistaken in her suspicions, means nothing. Flynn knows a breath of scandal would destroy his career. And that is the three-way standoff we watch unfolding with precision and tension. Something else happens. Donald's mother fears her son will be expelled from the school. He has been accused of drinking the altar wine. Worse, of being given it by Father Flynn. She appeals directly to Sister Aloysius. It lasts about 10 minutes, but it is the emotional heart and soul of "Doubt". Doubt. It is the subject of the sermon Father Flynn opens the film with. Doubt was coming into the church and the United States in 1964. After the assassination of Kennedy and the beginnings of Vietnam, doubt had undermined American certainty in general. What could you be sure of? What were the circumstances? The motives? The conflict between Aloysius and Flynn is the conflict between old and new, between status and change, between infallibility and uncertainty. And Shanley leaves us doubting. "Doubt" has exact and merciless writing, powerful performances and timeless relevance. It causes us to start thinking with the first shot, and we never stop. Think how rare that is in a film. I came to a different conclusion seeing this film. The entitled "doubt" was not about Father Flynn's guilt (which I believe becomes apparent toward the end of the film). The "doubt" is manifested in Sister Aloysius as she comes to doubt the institution of the Catholic Church she has devoted her life to. Instead of getting rid of the priest, the church covers up the crime. I think that would be enough to cause anyone to have "doubts". This was the last straw that caused this nun to have an emotional break down, reducing a once rigid woman certain in her beliefs to a sobbing and lost wreck of a human being. To answer the obvious mystery in the film - whether Father had some sinful (or criminal) relationship with a twelve year boy? The one word answer on the platter is 'Yes'. I don't think the plot of this movie made a lot of sense for its 1964 setting. Would a nun in 1964 really suspect a priest of sexual abuse based on nothing more than a shirt being placed in a locker? In 2018, after two decades of priest abuse stories in the media, sure; however, in 1964, at a time when no one would dare criticize a man of the cloth, I have my doubts. Either way, I did enjoy the film and thought it was well-acted.

alyssaoconnell Sometimes I have a feeling I want to watch something deep and full of emotion, something that would give me to a bit of philosophical thinking. If you're craving to watch something to feel the same, 'Doubt' is definitely on the list! Moreover, that is a drama guys would enjoy watching too. It's not anything sweet or full of moments where you want to burst into tears. It is rather the one that would make you look inside yourself and ask, what do you do when you have doubt? and when you are FULL of doubt? what makes you feel doubt and why?Perhaps, part of the success is not just the feelings that you come across with while watching, but the cause of them (and this is not just all about the plot, its ideas and moral values). Part of the success is influenced but HOW the ideas are SHOWN. And there comes the time to praise Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman's acting. I could not have imagined better actors for each of the 3 characters than these guys. No wonder the movie got so many awards. Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, by an Actress in a Supporting Role, by an Actor in a Leading role, also Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, wow! That is a must-watch one!

reebokpercent 'Doubt' is a gripping psychological drama with incomparable Meryl Streep and brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman in the leads. The film is directed by John Patrick Shanley and based on his own Pulitzer-Prize winning stage play of the same name. Before watching the film you may be attracted by the film poster with a cross (a symbol of faith) and the word 'doubt' depicting on it, what immediately hooks you due to combining two mutually exclusive concepts. Actually the whole film is based on opposition and proves how controversial can be issues of Good and Evil looked at from different perspectives. It is natural for humans to doubt. It is a result of their capability of speculation and their innate desire to find the truth. However, there are cases when not everyone is "allowed" to doubt due to some personal moral convictions or some restrictions from outside. That's what happens to the main character of the picture, the head nun, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), who dares to call in question righteousness of the priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) suspecting him of sexual relationship with one of the students of the Catholic school. Her suspicion is neither confirmed for the lack of evidence, nor refuted, but the seed of doubt is already implanted in our minds as well as in the mind of a younger nun, Sister James, wonderfully portrayed by graceful Amy Adams. She observes this opposition between "the prosecutor" and "the accused" and with childish naivety tries to find absolute truth, which is non-existent in the context of the film. Particular attention should be given to excellent acting of Meryl Streep, who perfectly suits the role of a self-possessed principal, running the school in an imperious and domineering manner. Her conservatism seems to be on the verge of absurdity, from prohibition on ballpoint pens and candies to total control of the students (episode with the portrait on the blackboard). So, in comparison with Father Flynn, whose appearance is as "sweet" as his tea and whose deeds and speech are always alarmingly good, Sister Aloysius looks like a true oppressor. However, such an image of her somehow fades as the film progressed. It is she who takes care of her whole nuns' community in the male-dominated environment. Those touchy moments, when she displays particular concern for the elderly Sister Veronica who is going blind, just testify that she is a perfect leader: tough but considerate. A true venerator of traditions Sister Aloysius has a genuine fear of changes, which are brought to Bronx Catholic School with the wind of 1964. Her remark about the weather 'the world is crashing' becomes pivotal for the whole film and even more crucial for herself. In attempts to stop liberalism that starts shifting firm conservative views, the head nun crosses swords with the priest, considering him a disseminator of destructive liberal views. But in the end, ironically, she finds herself doubting her own longstanding believes, realizing that values of the modern world are no longer the same, and that something, once used to be totally unacceptable, today is quite adequate. No doubt, the film is worth seeing! Brilliant performance of all leads alongside with the riveting plot will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.

margaret-58981 What can one expect from the film with a title "Doubt"? Mystery is a central plot mechanism. It paints a rather different picture. There are many possibilities of how the action may develop and the film provides evidence to support nearly every one of them. The picture is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning play and directed by John Patrick Shanley. The events take place at the Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964, a year after the assassination of President Kennedy. The progressive Father Flynn wants the school to catch the wind of change, which is much to the disproof of the school's principal Sister Aloysius. The children of the school are terrified of the harsh Sister, who hates ballpoint pens, prohibits sugar and finds a pagan symbolism in the Frosty the Snowman song. Father Flynn however has built a genuine relationship with his students, and has even taken young Donald Miller, the school's first black student, under his wing.The director does an admirable job in enhancing the scenes with suspense and provocation. Every single monologue and action is calculated to achieve the maximum effect. The mystery is added by symbolism of the wind, rain, thunder, a cat catching a mouse and a burning bulb. At the center of modest setting is a duet play of two outstanding actors Meryl Streep and Philip Hoffman. They are capable of creating persuasive characters with no make-up and unchanging clothes. The scenes between them are thrilling and catching from start to finish. It's mainly an emotional struggle of two atlantes. Their acting is shaded by a sweet and naive Sister James by Amy Adams. Like an audience she reflects our own misgivings and flounces from one strong figure to another. And Viola Davis as a mother of a trouble boy performs a powerful and painful monologue which sheds some light on the matter but still doesn't offer an easy solution. The term "spoiler" seems to be inappropriate for this film as the twist plot doesn't get a definite resolution. The moral decision is left to the audience as jury. As good oaky wine the film leaves a long aftertaste which draws our thoughts back to the film again and again and every time plunges deeper in doubt.